We’re not suggesting that a clever promotion or a new event is going to solve any trading challenges facing the industry. But over winter we’re sharing a series of ideas, observations and examples that hospitality businesses may – or may not – have tried to attract customers and create reasons for them to come back. Some will be practical, some a little unconventional, and some may simply spark something with you.

In this article, we’re looking at how you can draw people out of hibernation this winter…

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We all know that getting customers through the door can be harder in winter. People are going out less often, spontaneous visits become less frequent and poor weather can quickly change plans. Even loyal customers may decide that staying home is the easier option.

Here’s an idea to encourage people back out: an “anti-hibernation” campaign. Instead of focusing only on price, it gives customers a social reason to leave home: reconnecting with someone they have not seen for a while.

Hospitality businesses are natural meeting places. They provide the setting for people to celebrate, talk, laugh and spend time together without anyone having to host, cook or clean up. Winter marketing can bring that role to the foreground, reminding customers that they are not simply booking a table—they are finally making that overdue catch-up happen.

Turn an intention into a booking

Most people have someone they have been meaning to see. The challenge is turning “we should catch up sometime” into an actual date and place. A simple message such as “Who have you been meaning to catch up with?” can give customers the nudge they need. It can be used across social media, email newsletters, booking reminders, blackboards and table cards.

Other prompts might include:

• Consider this your sign to finally book that overdue dinner.
• Send this to someone you haven’t seen lately.
• Good food, somewhere warm and the person you keep saying you must catch up with.
• Meet me somewhere warm.

“Come Out of Hibernation” can provide the fun internal campaign theme, while a message such as “The Great Winter Catch-up”, “Winter Is Better Together” or “The Overdue Catch-up” may work well with customers.

The most useful content will make it easy for one person to initiate the outing. Think beyond asking followers to tag a friend. Give them something they can send directly to someone, ideally with a clear link to book.

Use the campaign to support a quieter session

Rather than applying the idea across every service, consider using it to build demand during a particular day or time.

A “Wednesday Winter Catch-up” or regular early-evening session gives the campaign a clear focus. It also allows the business to add value at a time when it has more capacity, instead of giving something away during a session that may already fill naturally.

Choose the session carefully. Look at booking patterns, average spend and the customer groups most likely to visit at that time. The aim is not simply to attract the largest possible crowd, but to generate worthwhile additional business where it is most needed.

Add something customers will remember

A few thoughtful touches can turn a marketing message into a recognisable experience.

Conversation cards placed on tables could include light-hearted questions, shared memories or prompts that help people learn something new about one another. Keep them optional and suitable for your clientele—fun rather than forced.

You might designate a comfortable booth or large table as “The Overdue Catch-up Table”, include a small welcome snack for participating groups, or give diners a card encouraging them to arrange their next catch-up.

Another option is a winter connection challenge. Customers could be encouraged to visit with an old friend, a family member, a former colleague or a neighbour. A simple passport or loyalty card could record each visit, creating an incentive to return during the season.

The eventual reward does not have to be a discount. It could be an off-menu item, a small upgrade, or another experience with a high perceived value but a manageable cost to the business.

Market the experience, not just the menu

Food and drink photography will remain important, but the campaign should also show customers what it feels like to visit.

Capture dishes being shared, coats coming off, warm lighting, full tables and people enjoying one another’s company. Show the welcome, atmosphere and sense of comfort that customers cannot recreate by ordering food to their homes.

The idea should also fit the business. A neighbourhood café, fine-dining restaurant, takeaway venue and late-night bar will each approach it differently. It might focus on reconnecting with friends, bringing workmates together, encouraging family meals or helping people feel part of their local community.

Keep it simple and repeat it

You do not need a large budget or an elaborate programme to make this work. Start with one audience, one quieter session, one appealing offer and one clear invitation.

Run it for long enough that customers begin to recognise it. Repetition matters: a regular winter ritual is easier to remember than a series of unrelated weekly promotions.

The commercial challenge in winter is not simply that customers stop liking dining out. It is that they do it less frequently and need a stronger prompt to make plans. By helping customers turn an overdue catch-up into an actual booking, hospitality businesses can create another reason to visit—without automatically reaching for a discount.

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Check out our other Out of the Box articles:

• Out of the Box: What if your business felt more like a club?
• Out of the Box: What if the calendar became your creative partner?
• Out of the Box: Turning winter’s weather ups and downs into marketing gold